1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing terminal, and a file management method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a technology for moving and copying files by means of a file system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Presently, a file system generally uses an information processing device such as a personal computer (referred to as PC hereinafter) to manage files in a hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. 20. According to the file management of this type, the upper most root directory R includes a subdirectory A and a file a, and the subdirectory A can further include a lower subdirectory B and a file b. The lower subdirectory B includes a file c, for example.
The hierarchical structure managed by this file system is often provided for users as a GUI (Graphical User Interface) on a window system. A subdirectory on the GUI is referred to as a folder. The GUI includes: a type shown in FIG. 21(a) where folders and files are provided as a tree structure, and a type shown in FIG. 21(b) where folders and files are provided as virtual screens referred to as windows.
On screens of the GUI shown in FIGS. 21(a) and 21(b), the folders and files are represented as schematic graphics referred to as icons. Moreover, there is shown an arrow, which specifies a point on the screen, referred to as a pointer 111. The folders and files shown on the screen can be moved or copied to an arbitrary location in the hierarchical structure shown in FIG. 20 by freely moving the pointer 111 on the screen by means of a pointing device such as a mouse.
For example, if the file c under the subdirectory (folder) B is to be moved under the subdirectory (folder) A, the pointer 111 is first moved on an icon for the file c under the folder B by moving the mouse. Then, the icon for the file c is dragged to an icon or a window for the folder A by depressing a determination button (left button if the mouse has two left and right buttons) of the mouse, and moving the pointer 111 while the determination button is being depressed. Then, the icon for the file c is dropped by releasing the determination button on the icon or the window for the folder A. With this operation, the file c can be moved from the folder B to the folder A.
In order to simplify an operation for repeatedly moving files, there is proposed a technology which provides means to store history of operations of file management information shown on a screen, and uses the stored information for operations previously carried out to enable to easily move a file without requiring excessive operations by a user (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. H6-103014, for example).
Recently, hard disks, which can sufficiently withstand hard vibrations and changes in temperature in a vehicle cabin, have been developed, and vehicle onboard audio devices employing such hard disks have become commercially available. With this type of vehicle onboard audio devices, it is possible to enjoy playing audio and video without repeatedly inserting and ejecting multiple media such as CDs (Compact Discs) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks) by converting audio and video data stored on the media into audio files and video files, and recording these files on a hard disk.
This type of vehicle onboard machine, which employs a hard disk for storing files, uses a file system, and can manage multiple files in the hierarchical structure as shown in FIG. 20. It is also possible to move or copy a file stored on a PC to a hard disk of a vehicle onboard machine by means of this file system.
However, it is conventionally necessary to carry out the following sequence of operations to move or copy a file stored in the PC to the hard disk of the vehicle onboard machine. First, a removable medium such as a semiconductor memory is connected to the PC. A file system running on the PC recognizes the connected removable medium, and shows a file management screen including an icon for the removable medium as shown in FIG. 21 on a display device of the PC. The user moves a file to be moved or copied from the PC to the removable medium by the drug and drop operation as described above.
Then, the removable medium is removed from the PC, and is connected to the vehicle onboard machine. A file system running on the vehicle onboard machine recognizes the connected removable medium, and shows a file management screen including an icon for the removable medium as shown in FIG. 21. The user moves a file to be moved or copied from the removable medium to the hard disk of the vehicle onboard machine by the drag and drop operation as described above. Therefore, it is necessary to move or copy a file stored in the PC to the hard disk of the vehicle onboard machine by means of the above series of operations, and there thus poses a problem that these operations are complicated and very time consuming.
It should be noted that there are products which have a portable hard disk for a vehicle onboard machine. With this type of products, it is possible to directly move or copy a file between the PC and the vehicle onboard machine by directly connecting the hard disk of the vehicle onboard machine to the home PC. However, even in this case, there poses a problem that it is necessary to carry out a time consuming operation to remove the hard disk of the vehicle onboard machine, and to connect the hard disk to the PC.
Moreover, recently, there are widely available wireless LAN (Local Area Network) products which connect between PCs. If the PC and the vehicle onboard machine are wirelessly connected via this wireless LAN, it is possible to directly move or copy a file between the PC and the vehicle onboard machine without removing the hard disk of the vehicle onboard machine, and connecting the hard disk to the PC, which is time consuming. Though the transmission speed of the wireless LAN is not as fast as that of the wired LAN, the speed is fast enough for a protocol for authentication communication, and can provide wireless communication at a distance of 100 m for indoors, and 500 m for outdoors, which is considered practical.
However, the vehicle onboard machine usually turned off when the vehicle is parked in a garage at home, the file system is not thus active, and file cannot be moved or copied. Though the vehicle onboard machine is turned on while the vehicle is traveling, the distance between the PC at home and the vehicle onboard machine exceeds the communicable distance of the wireless LAN, and files cannot be moved or copied in this case either. Eventually, for the wireless communication between the PC and the vehicle onboard machine, it is necessary to purposely turn on the vehicle onboard machine while the vehicle is being parked in the garage at home. Moreover, it is also necessary to purposely turn off the vehicle onboard machine when files have been moved or copied, which is very time consuming.